AUSPICIOUS BEGINNING: The Secretary of the Department of Kannada and Culture, B.R. Jayaramaraje Urs, inaugurating a Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy function in Madikeri on Thursday.

New body of Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy installed

Madikeri:

The Secretary, Department of Kannada and Culture, B.R. Jayaramaraje Urs, on Thursday hailed the contribution of the Kodava community to the betterment of society in all spheres of life.

He was inaugurating a function here at the Cauvery Kalakshetra organised to mark the assuming of charge by the new body of the Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy, headed by Iymudiyanda Rani Machaiah.

Expressing anguish at the small and well-knit communities, including the Kodava, losing their identity, Mr. Urs said the fear of extinction had made many a community to remain alert and active to save its culture for posterity. The Kodava was one such community.

If the language of a particular community could be saved, it would result in fostering its culture. Mr. Urs suggested to Ms. Machaiah to initiate action with regard to translating several landmark Kodava literary works into other languages. Similarly, books could be published on native medicines, festivals, folklore, different Kodava speaking groups (other than Kodavas), Devarakadu (sacred groves) and land tenures.

Mr. Urs lauded the unique culture of Kodagu where the concept of “nad kachcheri” (Government office to deal with all revenue matters at the hobli level) originated and the noble concept of preserving Devarakadu (sacred groves) had been in vogue for centuries. Women had always enjoyed freedom and security, which was worth emulating, Mr. Urs said.

He appealed to Ms. Machaiah to seek the help of all to run the administration of the academy efficiently and help foster the cause of Kodava.

The president of the Akhila Kodava Samaja, Matanda C. Monnappa, who was a guest, appealed to the academy members to propagate Kodava literature in schools, especially the literary works of Haradasa Appacha Kavi, one of the earliest literary figures of Kodagu.

He said the academy members should display unity and work as one team to further the cause of Kodava language and spread its culture.

Mr. Monnappa suggested to Mr. Urs to appoint a fulltime registrar to the academy who was conversant with Kodava.

Kalegowda Nagavara, former president of the Karnataka Janapada Academy, said that Kodava culture was an ancient one and it needed to be nurtured by the State Government through the academy.

Documentary filmmaker S. Srinivasamurthy suggested to Ms. Machaiah to prepare a long-term development plan and solicit the support of the youth to run the administration of the academy meaningfully.

Ms. Machaiah, who presided over the function, said the academy had approved an action plan to cover 23 different programmes across Kodagu in the next one year.